Patriots lead the all-time series between these two original AFL franchises 53-52-1; they are currently tied 51-51-1 in the regular season while the Pats hold a 2-1 lead in the post season. Overall the Pats have outscored the Jets 2388 to 2233 through the years.

The Patriots swept the series last year, winning 30-21 on October 9 in Foxboro and then 37-16 on the road on November 13. Those two wins put a halt to a run by the Jets where they had won four of the previous six games. Before that the Patriots had won four in a row, 11 of 12, and 13 of the previous 15 games.

2011 was the first season series sweep since 2007; the Patriots also swept the series in 2005, 2004 and 2003; in all the Patriots have swept the Jets 14 times. The last time the Jets swept the series was in 2000.

The Patriots are 8-4 all-time against the Jets at Gillette Stadium and are 28-25-1 all-time as the home team.

The Patriots are 17-9 against the Jets since Bill Belichick became the team’s head coach.

The Jets are 3-4 against the Patriots since Rex Ryan became their head coach.

Since Robert Kraft purchased the team in 1994 the Patriots are 24-14 vs. the Jets.

Tom Brady is 16-5 versus the Jets all time. Against the Jets he has had a passer rating of 100 or more eight times; his highest rating was 148.8 from 2010. Brady has also had six games with a completion percentage of 70% or better, with a high of 78.6% in 2007.

– Cashing in on opportunities: 39.1% of points scored by the Jets this year have either come on a defensive touchdown (two interception returns) or on a possession immediately following a takeaway; that ranks first in the NFL.

– Limiting opportunities: 7.3% of points allowed by the Pats have come via defensive touchdown (none) or on possessions following a turnover; that also ranks first in the NFL this season.

– The myth of the ‘blueprint’ to beating the Patriots is to pressure Tom Brady with a blitz: in 2011 opponents blitzed the Pats on 31% of their passing plays (200 times), and Brady completed 62% of those passes (3rd highest percentage). This year opponents have blitzed the Pats on 25% of their passing plays (63 out of 257) and Brady has completed passes 69% of the time (2nd highest percentage).

– Jets blitzing less often: In 2010 the Jets led the league by blitzing on 57% of their opponent’s pass plays. In 2011 that figure was down to 47%, which ranked 4th; this year it is down again to an 8th-ranked 42% of opponent’s pass plays.

– Last week: the Patriots lost in the last minute 24-23 at Seattle; the Jets defeated the Colts in New Jersey 35-9.

– Since the 2002 NFL realignment to eight four-team divisions this is the first time in week 6 or later that all four teams in one division have been tied for 1st place.

– The Patriots will be wearing their red throwback jerseys and Pat Patriot helmets this weekend against the Jets; the Pats are 8-3 when they wear their throwback uniforms.

– Since Gillete Stadium opened in 2002 the Patriots are 68-14 at home in the regular season.

Homecoming

– CB Kyle Arrington played football at nearby Hofstra University, where the Jets held training camp from

– S Steve Gregory was born in Brooklyn NY and went to Curtis High School in Staten Island NY.

– DL Justin Francis played football at Rutgers University

– Escape From New York: RB Danny Woodhead and CB Marquice Cole are both former Jets.

– The Jets also have some ties to New England: QB Coach Matt Cavanaugh was a second round draft pick of the Patriots in 1978 and played for the Pats from 1978-82. … RB Rex Hilliard was with the Pats earler this year for a cup of coffee. … OL Coach Dave DeGuglielmo was born in Cambridge MA, graduated from Lexington High School in 1986 and played at BU. … Defensive Quality Control Coach Brian Smith coached for seven years at UMass. … OC Tony Sparano is from West Haven CT native; he played and coached at the University of New Haven and also coached at BU. … DE Mike DeVito is from Wellfleet MA and played his college football at Maine. … OL Vladimir Ducasse played at UMass.

This Day In Patriots History

October 19, 1962:Jim Colclough caught only two passes but they were both second half touchdowns as the Patriots rallied to overcame a 20-3 deficit and beat the Chargers 24-20 at Nickerson Field.

October 19, 1975:Andy Johnson‘s 3-yard run gives the Pats a 1st half lead and then his 66-yard touchdown run in the 4th quarter seals the win as the Pats get their first victory of the season, 21-10 over the Baltimore Colts at Schaefer Stadium.

October 19, 1980:Horace Ivory‘s 98-yard kickoff 3rd quarter kickoff return gives the Pats the lead and John Smith kicks three field goals as the Patriots overcome a tough Colts run defense to win 37-21 at Memorial Stadium. The win put Ron Erhardt‘s club in sole possession of first place with a 6-1 record, passing the Buffalo Bills who lost 17-14 at Miami that day.

October 19, 1986:
The Patriots defense forced four turnovers and shut out the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-0 at Three Rivers Stadium. Steve Grogan threw three touchdown passes, Fred Marion had a 37-yard pick six, and the Pats D limited Pittsburgh to just 168 total yards of offense for the win.

October 19, 1997:Glenn Foley goes 17 for 23 in relief of Neil O’Donnell as the Jets come from behind to beat the Pats 24-19 at the Meadowlands.

October 19, 1998:Robert Edwards rushes for 104 yards and a touchdown but Kyle Brady catches two one-yard touchdown passes from Vinny Testaverde as the Jets beat the Patriots 24-14 at Foxboro Stadium on Monday Night Football.

October 19, 2003:
In a game I was privileged to witness in person Troy Brown catches a pass on the left sideline in full stride that goes for a game-winning 82 yard touchdown to defeat the Dolphins 19-13 in overtime in hot and humid Miami. The Pats were without several starters on defense that day and got a reprieve when Dolphins kicker Olindo Mare missed two would be game winning field goals when he had to kick from the dirt of the baseball infield at Pro Player Stadium.

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October 19, 1977:Lynyrd Skynyrd‘s Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines and Cassie Gaines were all killed along with manager Dean Kilpatrick when their rented plane ran out of fuel and crashed in the middle of a swamp in Gillsburg, Missouri en route to a gig at Louisiana State University.